Let's Get Steemin!

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, then starting on the first one.

This simple observation from Mark Twain is in fact the key to making progress in anything.

Or, as the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said more than 2500 years earlier:

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"

STEP 1

You've already taken the first step. You have successfully applied to join Steemit and you have been accepted!

STEP 2

You could step out into the mysterious world of Steemit but will this lead you to where you want to go?

Let's face it Steemit to most of us is full of complex, overwhelming tasks. So where do you begin? Just blindly stumbling along will soon lead to dissatisfaction and loss of interest, no rewards and then finally Steemit will become just another of those passing internet fads.

Is that what you want? Well if that's your thing stop right here and don't bother to take another step.

STEP 3

Whenever we start something new we should be honest and humble enough that we are newbies and not try to kid ourselves (and other people) that we are some kind of expert.

This guy looks pretty happy and contented but as we all know he's got an awful lot to learn!

As I thought about this after being a Steemer (is that the right word?) for about a week I realised that unless I took it seriously and set myself a challenge then within a few days I would be looking for the next shiny object.

It seems to me that Mark Twain's advice about breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks would be a good starting point.

STEP 4

Today's first step will be make a list of of

• 3 niches I am interested in sharing with other people
• something that will make the whole process of using Steemit easier (and therefore more enjoyable and sustainable)
• find someone on Steemit who is an expert and has posted articles that can help me (over a period of time you will come across many Steemers who can help you but let's just start with one)

Now your list will almost certainly be different to mine, but at least you will have made a start.

So get out a pen and paper and start writing.

MY DAY 1 LIST

Here is what I came up with

My initial niches:
World Affairs
History
The Bible

These are subjects which I am very interested in duscussing with other people and reading about. That doesn't mean to say I am in any an expert.

What will make my life easier in using Steemit?
Initially I made a few simple posts and comments but I quickly realised that (a) I was not being cosistent in the format and style and (b) I was in danger of reinventing the wheel each time I posted.

Today's solution? Create graphics that I could use over and over with a just a few simple adjustments to suit the post or comment.

I am fairly competent at using Photoshop so this was a simple job, although I don't claim to have any special artistic skills.

Here is what I came up with.

1. Post image template

Looks simple doesn't it?

This is the template that is 800x450 pixels and onto which I will add the graphics or words that apply to the post or comment.

For example here is an image I used on a recent comment:

All that I had to do was take the template and add a picture and the words as layers.

So now everytime I write a post, add a comment or even post to DMania I don't have to worry about the size and format of my graphics.

If in the future I want to change the design I simply need to add another background layer, but for now this one will do.

Likewise I created a footer, like the one you will see at the bottom of this post.

This is a simple graphic created in Photoshop. However to get a signature I went to My Live Signature. You don't have to sign up or join simply type in your name, choose a font and then download the graphic file.

I then added the signature file I had downloaded to the footer.

So everytime I post or comment all I have to is add the footer graphic at the end.

Finally I created a set of simple divider graphics lie this one

I have created a number of these so that all I have to do when creating a post is add the file details and it is inserted.

These three steps took me less than an hour to do but from now on I can concentrate on writing and keep the graphics design work to a minimum.

A Steemit Expert who helps
It didn't take me long to come across posts by Philip Braselmann @valorforfreedom
Read his posts and watch his videos. He too was a nerbie once but he has shared so much of what he has learned that he is well worth following.

END OF DAY 1

Well there we are we've started the journey. The steps may seem very simple and maybe there is nothing new here for you. That's fine I pleased that you further along the road but maybe like me you've hardly started.

If you have any comments I'd be pleased to receive them. Hopefully they will be constructive.

If anyone needs help on any of the points I've raised then I will glad to help if I can.

Steem on!!

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